Hello Travel Family!Hope you're having a wonderful winter day! I was digging around on an external drive looking for business files and found these pictures from a sunny day in France. How was this four years ago??

Carcassonne is easily accessed by Train from Spain or by Ryan Air from the UK.

The first time I flew over Carcassonne I knew I had to go explore! Reading about the fortified town is one thing, seeing it from the air is another!

The Cite at night is breathtaking!

Full of many hidden gems!

If you are at a loss as to where to go in the south of France (and want to avoid the trite American tourist destinations), I suggest Carcassonne.

"Since the pre-Roman period, a fortified settlement has existed on the hill where Carcassonne now stands. In its present form it is an outstanding example of a medieval fortified town, with its massive defences encircling the castle and the surrounding buildings, its streets and its fine Gothic cathedral. Carcassonne is also of exceptional importance because of the lengthy restoration campaign undertaken by Viollet-le-Duc, one of the founders of the modern science of conservation." read more

The Medieval City is beyond impressive.

From there you can rent a car and explore further the countryside,

Out driving-- eating and shopping in small markets to.. #FrenchThings

I'm missing France and all things French right now. From the wonderful food to the good friends I have made there. ​I love Paris, because who doesn't? But I also adore the beauty of nature and the friendliness of the people in the south of France.

​Too pretty for weather... Hence the (null)

This trip we stayed three months and yes, I cried when we left.

I love how clear the water was! We stayed in a three story gite, right beside the river and could look out the window and see the fish swimming by! ​We were also less than a block from cafes and shops. It was a prefect holiday and I cannot wait to go back!

Today I wanted to talk about two things I love...art and flowers.In Chinese Art chrysanthemums are part of what is known as "The Four Gentlemen" or "The Four Noble Ones". They are one of four plants used to mark the seasons. The other three are: Plum blossom, the orchid and the bamboo. You will find these plants in traditional ink and wash painting from the beautiful 'bird and flower' paining category of Chinese Art in most museums or collections.

Love this style!

These plants have been depicted since the time of the Song Dynasty (960–1279) because of their refined beauty, and were later adopted in other parts of East Asia by artists in Japan and Korea.

(Plum blossoms)

These colorful plants represent the four different seasons (the plum blossom for winter, the orchid for spring, the bamboo for summer, and the chrysanthemum for autumn). The four are used to mark the seasons through the year in art and decorating.

Orchids for Spring. (I'm still not happy with the placement of this table.)

(Bamboo for summer.)

And chrysanthemums for autumn.

Now you know the story of the "Four Gentlemen" and why we are drawn to these colorful flowers. ​​Do you have any art or arraignments featuring these refined plants?

I have a confession to make...I miss British Television! I know I say I have no time to do anything, much less watch TV...but who doesn't enjoy sitting on the divan and vegging out to classic tv once in a while? (Especially after a mind numbing day at the office!) And honestly there is nothing better than binge watching Doctor Who as you sip tea and unwind! Lately I've seen something called BritBox on Amazon. Have see seen the adverts too?

Seems now Prime Video Channels are a Prime benefit that lets you choose your channels. Only members can add BritBox and 100+ more channels—no cable required and you can cancel anytime.What a deal! #OMG!

Was this invented just for me? If you haven't watched much British tv then I invite you to give it a try. I think you will be surprised at the acting and the depth of the plots, or the silliness of the comedies. But who doesn't want to have a good laugh?

Plusit gets even better, you can try it for FREE for a limited time! Also it's easy to cancel if it's not "your cup of tea." lol

Click the link above or the banner on the side and I will put the kettle on and meet you there!

Happy Monday! So how are things? I am finishing up a nice weekend off. #WINI don’t know about you, but lately, I’ve been coming home from work EXHAUSTED!I promised myself I would stop complaining about how tired I was from work on here, but I was asked recently how I relaxed after a stressful day. Honestly, in the past I just sucked it up and keep going. I used to tell myself that this was my life and that I had to keep going, people were depending on me. End of story.

But over the past few years, I’ve realized that if I want to continue to kick-ass at work, I need to make my health and well-being a priority. I have to set firm boundaries and build in downtime for myself.

I stared by creating a routine to help me relax when I get home. This gives me time to unwind and de-stress and makes the rest of the evening so much better.

Talking to other women it's the same. Let's face it, it hard to relax after work when you have so much to do at home or if you run a side business, and especially if you have a family. OMG! The worknever ends!

OMG! The laundry never ends!

I’d get home and think about the 10,000 different projects I wanted to get started on, plus all the normal day-to-day stuff like gardening and laundry that needed to be tended too and then stay busy until I fell into bed, sometime around 11:45.

Relaxing wasn’t something I was totally comfortable with. So if that sounds familiar and you need some help in the relaxing department, I have put together a few easy ways to relax after a long day at work.

Change Out of Your Work ClothesBegin the minute you walk through the door.There’s nothing better than getting home from work and changing into a comfy t-shirt and losing the bra! Changing out of my work clothes tells my brain that its time to relax, and that I can enjoy a few hours to myself, without the stress of work weighing on my shoulders.

Turn off Your PhoneI’m on my phone all day long, and if I’m not on my phone, I’m on my computer. I’m answering e-mails, returning voicemails, processing paperwork, so when I get home, my brain needs a break. I’m legit sick of my phone by the time I get home, so I’ve been making an effort to unplug for a couple of hours. I’ll leave my phone in my bedroom for an hour or two and I’ll go out to the family room to do anything other than check my social media. This has helped my sanity tremendously. #BIGWIN

Meditate/Do Yoga​After a long day at work, it’s so great to spend a few minutes meditating. I'm actually a meditating expert, (I teach meditation), and because of that I know that anyone can learn this simple form of relaxation.

Begin by just sitting on the floor for five minutes, and do nothing other than focusing on your breathing. This is also a great time to give thanks for the day and just be still. But if you’re not a fan of meditating or you’re just not ready for it, do some yoga or at the very least, stretch. Chances are, you’ve been sitting on your butt all day long, and your body needs some stretching. Trust me, you’ll feel SO MUCH BETTER! Another great way to unwind is reading.

Grab A BookIt's no secret I am a total bookworm! I love to sit in the garden or my reading nook and just relax with a good book. Even if you can only read for half an hour it will help you relax.

Take A Bubble Bath​I swear, I think my bath tub is my favorite part of my new house. If it wasn’t for the fact that you get all wrinkly after sitting in the tub for a while, I think I’d stay in there for hours at a time. After a super stressful day at work, there’s nothing like slipping into a hot bubble bath. I use two different kinds of soaking baths- eucalyptus/sea salt and lavender- both are amazing for helping me achieve a few minutes of pure relaxation.

And speaking of scents...

Use Essential OilsRight before bed I turn on my diffuser. I keep it filled with essential oil and not only does it relax me, but it helps me fall asleep quickly. I have one in my bedroom, one in the guest room and a large one in the formal living room. Plus I'm thinking of adding one to my office. I love oils THAT MUCH.

Light Candles After a long day at work, I love lighting candles. It really sets the tone for the evening and it helps me remember to take it easy. It signals my brain that the rest of the night is for unwinding and a gentler pace.

Herbal TeaUnwind with a mug of soothing herbal tea. The feel of your favorite mug in your hand and the wonderful aroma of a soothing herbal blend work together to help you relax. There are so many different blends to try, just make sure you get an organic tea that is pesticide free.

How do you unwind and relax from a stressful day? I'd love to hear your tips - leave me a comment below and let's discuss.

Hi, Web Fam!It's another happy fall day! We are about to move from Autumn to winter and I'm pretty excited. We have only had slightly cooler temps, but I've used the fireplaces most nights.

And when I don't, I light them up with candles...

I don't know about you, but I'm so glad it "candle weather" again. You never fully appreciate the warmth of candles until you light them in July, lol. #Truestory

I'm ready to go sweater shopping too. Want to come with? I have swapped out my summer wardrobe for fall/winter and realized I don't have enough soft sweaters or black jeans, lol.

And I'm pretty sure I need this coat!

​But that will have to wait, this weekend I'm staying in to catch up on some work and also get the house ready for the big cold storm heading our way. The temps are going to drop below freezing and I still have plants to move around and there is a possibility of snow and ice, for the next few days!

But colder weather really does make it seem like the holiday season. I'm working on a blog post covering the best places for sights (and shopping) in Northern New Mexico during the winter months. So soon we are going to be exploring further a field. There are so many interesting things coming up in Santa Fe and the surrounding area I'd like to check out and share with you.

The Southwest in the winter is like a whole different world.

AND I'm almost finished reading all the books from my last haul, so expect a review soon.

Hi!It seems ludicrous to think I went on a "book buying fast" for most of the summer, doesn't it? I stayed away from Amazon (for books anyway) and did my best to avoid books stores, not that those really exist anymore. So just recently I've started shopping again. (You can read about the fall mini book haul here.) I held back, so it's a short post, lol.

Part of my recent promise to myself has been to stop working so much and find time to do things I love. I have put so much on the back burner lately because of work, but now that I am taking time to read, make art and travel again I feel so much better! #WIN

So far I've read two books from that mini haul.

The first book I read was this delightful book on Frida and Diego by Catherine Reef. This is a lovely book filled with the artists stories, photographs, history and art.

Frida and Diego by Catherine Reef

Was it a page turner? Yes

Do I like this genre? Yes

Setting: Mexico

The story telling? Yes

Was it well written? Yes

Would you recommend this book? Yes, there are enough stories, antidotes and photographs to make it light reading. If you want to skim these powerful artists histories and learn a bit about politics of the time, its great. It is a light, enjoyable read. One rainy afternoon I lazed around with a pot of tea and read it cover to cover.

Spoiler: I learned more about the artists and politics of the age. I had no idea Frida was hit by a streetcar nor how much pain she endured. I really didn't know much about their relationship or how it impacted their art.

If you are looking for a "traditional" autobiography you will probably not like this.

The book itself is art.

The richness of the paintings featured are captured well.

I am happy to add this book to my collection.

Reading in front of the fire is the best.

The second book I read this week was Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

Was it a page turner? Yes

Do I like this genre? Yes (Fantasy)

Setting: End of the world - so mostly England

The story telling? Yes

Was it well written? Yes

Would you recommend this book? Yes, especially if you are fan of either author or need a good laugh. There is a lot going on as the end of the world approaches, but you will enjoy the characters and their bumbling, as the lines between good and evil blur.

Spoiler: Parts are laugh out loud funny, other parts you need an understanding of Britain and the British to really fully appreciate the humor.

This has been on my list to purchase for sometime, but I never seemed to remember it at Amazon. The used bookstore had a well read copy for $1 so I couldn't pass it up. Next I will probably buy in hardback.

Author

Welcome to my travel blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too!

From art to shopping I'm just an average woman Enjoying and learning about life veery day. Follow my journeys as I travel, shop, and meditate my way through life...